The present invention relates to stackable bottles which permit bottles to be stacked on top of one another or affixed side-by-side.
Beverage containers are known for storing beverages. In addition, beverage containers have been designed to include projections and grooves for allowing the containers to be stacked and affixed together in various configurations to either save space or to form multi-pack clusters of bottles that are locked together during shipping. As but a few examples, U.S. Pat. No. D586,225 illustrates interlocking bottles having grooves and projections which allow multiple bottles to be affixed to each other. U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,565 describes interlocking beverage bottles including possesses vertically extending slots and vertically extending “tongue member” projections which are sized to fit within the slots. U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,958 describes a bottle having a projection which is sized to affix within the groove formed within a separate bracket assembly which, in turn, is affixed to a golf bag. U.S. Pat. No. 7,516,860 illustrates a bottle having a single projection and a single groove which allow for two bottles to be interlocked and affixed together. U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,898 illustrates describes interlocking bottles having a strange “S” shaped sidewall wherein two bottles can be affixed together. Interestingly, one bottle must be positioned upside-down.
Moreover, beverage containers have been designed to include projections and grooves for allowing the containers to be stacked in various fanciful manners so as to be played with by children. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,840 describes a stackable beverage container which has projections and grooves for allowing the containers to be affixed in various arrangements. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,498 describes a beverage container having round projections which fit into opposing slotted grooves. Moreover, the top threaded cap portion can affix into a groove in the bottom of the bottle. U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,699 illustrates a beverage bottle wherein the top threaded portion can be affixed into a bottom groove. In addition, the bottle has a flat side for fitting into a horizontal slot formed into the side of the bottle. The combination of the threaded top and round groove allows the bottles to be stacked, and the planar side and slot formed into the adjoining side allow the bottle to be arranged in various constructions.
Unfortunately, all of these beverage bottle suffer from various drawbacks. Some of these beverage bottle can be connected, but only in limited arrangements. Other beverage bottle designs are not aesthetically pleasing or are difficult to manufacture.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an improved connectable beverage bottle allowing any number of bottles to be affixed together.
It would be further desirable to provide a connectable beverage bottle which can be connected to other bottles to form a cluster of bottles which is ideal for sale to a consumer.
In addition, it would be desirable to provide a connectable beverage bottle which is ideal for being held by a consumer's hand.
Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a connectable beverage bottle which can be affixed to a mounting bracket which can, in turn, be affixed to other objects.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and summary of the invention below.